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Ge this album if you don't get any other early naughties dance album. 2003 was the best year.

@ About @

This 2 disc compilation covers everything I expected from an early naughties dance CD. It has drum n Bass, classic dance, hard dance, techno and more. It's not just dance, it's everything dance related from that time. PERFECT.

@ CD 1 @

The tide is high was as I'm sure many remember, an atomic kitten song which was their cover of an older song. Well now it's been re-re-covered again. This is a dance remix with their vocals and it's sped up quite a lot. It has few breakdowns and maintains the same beat throughout. Love at first sight is surprisingly not remixed on this CD making. It one of the slowest tracks of the lot. It does have good lyrics by someone who can sing, but the beat lacks oomph. Not much bass despite being on a dance CD.

Just a little starts with a 16 bar beat and then gets ruined by a strange robotic rotation noise that you hear from those remote controlled robot toys, and the chorus just fails to please spectacularly by having some weird cackling noise and broken vocals from an earlier 2002 song. Like a prayer is a floor filler, there's no question about it and it even got into mainstream charts back in early 2003. The lyrics are perfect, vocals are spot on, and the chorus gets the dance floor filled with thumping bass and a high pitched instrumental. Just what we need!

Aserje really does not belong on this CD. It's entirely in Spanish and turns out to have a guitar in it! This is the only song on the entire album that features some maracas, a guitar and lyrics in a foreign language. Lazy was a classic back in the early naughties and agin, did actually get into mainstream chart music and it has not been remixed either. A good solid beat, sharp vocals and funny lyrics.

Start eyed surprise makes good use of turntables and has lyrical scratching throughout. An excellent effect that just makes you go wow. It is a slower song than the previous few but the chorus is just one you have to sing along to, and has a digital bleep effect in the background. Fly by is a soulful track and I don't think it belongs on this CD. Don't get me wrong it's a great song and as you know, I love soulful lyrics but this does not belong. The beat is too slow, and it's not considered dance or electronics. Its hip hop or naughties pop I'm afraid.

Follow da leader starts with a superb beat and then manages to get its chorus in after just 4 bars after counting them down. It has clever lyrics and a chorus quite a few times in the song with only a brief pause before another big chorus. This is a fantastic song! Around the world starts with the noise of a child's xylophone and soft vocals. Then after 16 bars the best drops and the chorus kicks in with a superb thump. It's ok! Was a 2002 pop sensation and got to the top of the charts back in the day but on this CD it has been remixed with MUCH faster lyrics and a harder and faster beat. It also has the same piano in the background.

Dove has a superb piano to accompany the beautiful vocals throughout the track and includes lyrics that talk about a man who can't give ho's girlfriend the love she deserves. If you remember that Citroen advert from years back, love don't let me go has a vocal build and amazing the singer manages to hold a note for a full 8 seconds before a full bodied instrumental sound and a cracking chorus.

@ CD 2 @

To kick things off beautifully, scooter and the logical song starts with an excellent high pitched whine followed by a drum and bass build up, eventually leading to a fast pace dance beat. Lasgo has an excellent start to all of their songs and something is no different. There is a "whaoooo" noise followed by an 8 bar beat. The song then goes into a trance buildup and with an excellent 135BPM chorus.

Reason is the third track and this is a really weird blend of genres. Have you ever heard a power ballad with a fast dance beat behind it? That's exactly what this is. The chorus compiles such a stood beat with high volume vocals. Walk on water did disappointment me slightly because it drags on with a vocal build up and drum instrumentals just to get a low volume beat buildup again and again. The chorus lacks oomph and has little in the way of "club" or "techno" characteristics. Like a beat for instance. It's mostly instrumental.

Shooting star is again a trance track but the beat does not kick in until 1m 02 seconds and then has little longevity, it just does not last. The vocals are perfect though, belting vocals straight over the top of the instrumental. Forever does not stay well and has a highly misleading build up. You get an electronic swoosh in the background for quite a while and soft vocals. At 41 seconds you do get a great beat which kicks in beautifully timed straight after the girl stops singing.

Into the night is one of the slower tracks on this CD and disappoints me with the vocals. The girl can't sing! She is completely off key. I think the beat makes up for this though. Earth shaking thumping bass. Rhythm of the night is a classic remixed. We've all heard the track, we all know the songs, but with this the beat is emphasised and it sounds perfect. A remix without compromise on instrumental build up.

Alone has some pretty poor lyrics but boy can that girl sing. For those of you who have seen Brüno the build up will be familiar with the music in photo shoots he attends. Janeiro has very loud vocals but they don't drown out the instrumentals. The beat is subtle but not too fast. Fine day was in the late 90's a happy hardcore track with scary vocals like they were from a horror movie. Very unique but off key. It's like getting dido to sing opera, it just does not work. Still the instrumental stays throughout the song and the beat does not drop until 16 bars in.

Always on my mind has a trance chorus but strangely a beat throughout and no vocals for most of the beginning. It becomes a very soulful ballad towards the first chorus because the beat is slowed and the lyrics speak about having someone on your mind. Weird combination... Again.

@ Overall @

What a cracking album, recommended for all nyour early naughties classics!